Unlikely Defenders
by LysCooper
Summary: A missmatched band of adventurerers find themselves thrown together in the way of an on coming army of evil led by a malacious necromancer bent on destroying the sylvan folk and claiming the lands for the side of evil and followers of CazicThule.
1. And So It Begins

(All the characters in this story are either my own EQ characters, my friend, Mikanna's, or NPCs. I don't own EQ, I just play. Please R/R. If this part seems disjointed, it sort of is. These are supposed to be seperate, sort of unconnected until the last few. But they will connect...eventually.)

As the sun set over the tree tops of the greater faydark, a young druidess by the name of Larah leaned against her stadd watching the sky. Sitting near her feet, his legs hanging over the edge of the platform was an armor clad man. In silence, he fiddled about with his finely crafted dagger which shone radiantly in the dying light.  
"Something is amiss, Klarias, and I can't quite place what it might be."  
"T'ain't anuthin' to worry 'bout. If anuthin' is gonna happen, ye know the Emerald Warriors'll see to it."  
"Yes, I suppose."  
She sat down beside him, leaning against him.  
"Ye'd best be seein' to yer folk, Larah, Heartwood Master be lookin' for ye."  
"What if I were to say that I don't want to go?"  
Klarias laughed merrily and tucked his dagger into its bejeweled sheath.  
"I ain't one what can make one like yerself, the noblelass and druidess ye are, do anuthin' what ye ain't wantin' to do but ain't yer folk gonna worry if ye ain't home afore dark?"  
"I suppose you're right...Shall we meet here again tomorrow near to sunset?"  
"Acourse, I'll be waitin' 'ere for ye, muh love."

"Rravenn!"  
"Yes, sir?"  
"How many times must I remind you that a dark elven noble such as yourself, and a mage at that should not be traipsing about with common, filthy humans?!"  
"Sir, Rianum is not filthy. Neither is he common, he is a wizard."  
The elder mage snorted loudly.  
"All humans are filthy, disgusting creatures, Rravenn, you would do well to learn that. By all that is magical, soon you'll be going about with the accursed wood elves and high elves..."  
Rravenn fumed silently, glaring at her teacher, her purple eyes piercing deep into his dark soul.  
"I don't need you anymore, I don't need this mage hall or the library or even this city! I'll learn some other way, even if it means studying with the high elven in Felwithe!"  
She turned and began to cast a gate.  
"You're a fool, the brightest student I've ever had, but still a damned fool."  
She turned back to him, as if to remark, but traveled through her gate instead. With a sigh, the young dark elf leaned against one of the felled trees and wondered what she had gotten herself into.

Ahloru stood doubled over in pain. Dead gnolls lay all around her feet and axe was still embedded in one's skull. She hated this feeling and half-heartedly wished her frenzy had lasted longer, at least in the heat of battle she felt no pain. Slowly, she straightened herself out and then reached for her axe. She grimaced as she lifted it.  
"By the seventh hammer, that smarts." she muttered, rubbing her side gingerly.  
Slowly, she trudged along until she saw a tunnel. This had to be it, the way out of this infernal rat warren. Silently, she thanked whomever in the great pantheon was listening and strode towards the opening. Light, blessed light, shone from the end of the tunnel. She nearly began to run, and then thought the better of it.  
"The hills, Qeynos' that a way...boats there only take a fella to Erudin. A lass' got to get herself o'er to Freeport to be gettin' anywhere."  
With a sigh, Ahloru trudged off, her axe slung to her back.

The sounds of a bustling city swirled around the young wizard as he sat in thought by the pond of the Academy of Arcane Sciences. He trusted Rravenn, he cared about her, he perhaps had even grown to love the young mage, but she was a dark elf and he was human. It could never work. He knew she had returned to Neriak after they had met in the forest and talked of many things. He couldn't help but wonder what had become of her. She had said she would return to him after she went to her teacher for a quick lesson, but she was no where to be found.  
"Rianum! Rianum!"  
"Aye?"  
"One of the militia men saw your dark friend leaving the forest. She was headed this way."  
"How long ago?"  
"Not long."  
"I'm leaving."  
"I know."  
Rianum stood and began to cast a portal to the edge of the city. He stepped through it and could see a person walking along the path. As he ran towards her, he realized she was running and there were other dark elves chasing her.  
"RRAVENN!"  
A sword caught her across the shoulder and she fell to the ground. Rianum managed to control his emotions just enough to cast a fireball at the dark elves and incinerate them.  
"Rianum…"  
Her voice was weak and he fell to his knees beside her, hugging her, comforting her and holding her against him.  
"Please don't leave me, Rravenn."

A single High Elf walked along the path between Qeynos and Freeport. She hummed to herself softly as she walked.  
"Almost there…," she muttered.  
She smiled as she spotted the gates of Freeport but then she heard a voice.  
"Please, please help!"  
Mikanna turned quickly and began to run toward the origin of the voice.  
"Where are you?"  
"Please! Help her!"  
A human wizard cradling in his arms a dark elven woman, the last thing Mikanna had expected to see when she had come to help. She stared for a moment, startled and then began to look the young woman over.  
"A sword wound, magical blade…," A wave of her hand and the wound healed over, "Let her rest for a few days and she'll be fine."  
"Thank you, thank you so much. How can I ever repay you?"  
"No need to thank me, just doing my duty, cleric and all that, you know."  
The wizard was now staring at her.  
"Do you, uh, need any help in the city? I live there and can offer my services as a guide."  
"No, no, I've been here many a time. But, if you can get me ship passage, I'd be very grateful."  
"I have a friend…in the shipping business..." muttered the dark elf, "He can get you passage anywhere you may wish to go."  
The wizard stood, helping the woman to her feet and supporting her.  
"My name is Rianum Magefyre and this is Rravenn D'—"  
"I have no last name..."  
"I am Mikanna LaVirtue, of Qeynos."  
Together, they walked into the city gates and headed for the docks.


	2. The Evils of the World

(Its not the north or the south side, no its not, its not the east or the west side, no its not, its the dark side! Hehe....And now we get to meet the evils of the world, aren't they great people? And I know Niro will be happy. Please R/R.)

A shadowy figure cloaked in the robes of an iksar heretic stood on the edge of a precipice holding out his spell book. His skeletal minion stood beside him as he chanted the words to a spell long forgotten by the necromancers of Antonica and the Faydwer. Darkness filled the skies as he cried out the final word and pointed a single clawed finger at the sky. A sole dark elf woman approached the necromancer timidly.  
"I bear news from Neriak, Freeport and Qeynos."  
"Tell me now, sssoft ssskin, before I sssend you to your eternity."  
The rogue gulped audibly.  
"The mage known as Rravenn, the wizard known as Rianum and the cleric known as Mikanna are on their way to Kaladim."  
"Tell me there isss a point to all thisss..."  
"O-of course, my lord."  
"And what isss it then?"  
"They might....the mage knows about our plans for the Faydark—"  
"And?"  
"And she might tell them."  
"AND?" The iksar groaned at the sheer stupidity of this rogue. "Just kill the mage."  
"We tried that, my lord."  
"And?"  
"The wizard—"  
"Ssso kill the wizard."  
"And the cleric—"  
"Then kill the cleric! Do I have to do all the thinking for you, sssoft ssskin? By Cazic-Thule....why do I sssubject myssself to thisss?"  
"My lord?"  
"WHY ARE YOU SSSTILL HERE??? GET OUT OF MY SSSIGHT!"  
The dark elven rogue turned and ran as fast as her legs were able to carry her.

Zycrasik leaned against the wall in the Lodge of the Dead.  
"Do I have to go?"  
"Zycra,—"  
The necromancer pulled a dagger to the apprentice's throat.  
"And you were given permission to use my nickname, when?"  
"I...I..."  
"Just tell the queen I'm going and never enter my line of sight again."  
"Yes, of course...right away."  
"Just go!"  
The apprentice stared at her blankly for a moment and then, realizing his life depended on his speed, ran off into the inky darkness outside the edifice of dark worship. Zycrasik sighed and then a malicious grin crossed her features. _I'll go_, she thought, _I wouldn't mind slaughtering a few elves..._

"What isss it NOW?"  
The troll stared blankly at his master and then slowly began to speak.  
"The...uh...envoy...to the...uh...Ice Orcs....was....uh...slaughtered."  
"By?"  
"A...uh...barbarian, Master."  
"Ssso kill the barbarian and ssssend another envoy...you imbecccile." The messenger stood, staring at the iksar necromancer, "Didn't I tell you to leave?"  
"There's...uh...someone here to...uh...see you, Master. An envoy from...uh...Neriak, a necromancer sent by...uh...the queen to serve you."  
"Sssend him in."  
A dark elven woman stepped forward, flashing a dagger menacingly.  
"Him? Him?! I take offense at that, scalie."  
"A woman? Fasssscinating...I'll asssssume you're the one that Cristanos Thex ssssent me."  
"Quite so, and Xon Quexill requested that I give you these scrolls about the area around Kelethin he gathered for you."  
"My thankssss."

A single orc crept along the edge of the path hiding in among the trees, watching the elven children at play.  
"Fools, soon orc stomp. Dark Elves will stomp all you elves. Stupid elves..."  
He laughed sinisterly and then pulled an enspelled talisman out of his tunic and watched as it began to glow. A haunting voice spoke through it.  
"So, you finally decided to answer. Find the elven scout and kill him. His name is Kla...something."  
"Kla...something...that helps so much..."  
"Silence, Orc, before I smite you... just kill him and be done with it."  
"Yes, Lady Zycrasik."  
He stalked off, drawing his blade menacingly. Not too far in front of him, he could see an elf garbed in armor flipping a dagger in his hand, a rogue. He approached slowly, shocked that the elf didn't notice him. He slammed the hilt of the blade down on the elf's head and dragged him back to the Crushbone Citadel.


	3. Across the Seas and Lost in Sylvan Wood

(Good morrow fair gentle folk, here is the latest installment in the chronicallings of our heroes. Much luck unto them in their quest and many thanks to Nirokusan for suffering through my rough drafts... please R/R)

"Slithern? Slithern, are you in there?"  
"Rravenn? My little ssssoft sssskin friend!"  
"We need passage to Kaladim in a way I might be able to enter."  
"Ah, ssssneaky, my little friend," The iksar man stepped out of the shadows and Rianum tensed up, "Calm yourssself, little wizzzard. I mean you no harm. I ssssshall book you passssage aboard a great vesssssal. A few weeksssss of travel and you ssssshall arrive."  
"Many thanks, Slithern."  
Rravenn inched up onto her tip-toes and kissed the iksar on the cheek. Rianum glared at Slithern.  
"I would essscort you to the dock, little ssssoft ssssskin, but you know my predicament."  
"I do, Slithern, we shall head off. All the best to you and yours and may ever the Sarnak be walled up in their Den."  
"And the same to the Halflings!"  
Rravenn laughed and grasped Rianum's hand tightly.  
"The dock is this way, we have to go through the underground passages. The people of Freeport hold no love in their hearts for me." She then turned to Mikanna, "The passages may not be the best for you."  
"Maybe not, but... it'd be best if I came along, don't want her to get hurt anymore."  
Rravenn rolled her eyes at the high elf and then just smiled.  
"Then let us move on. The docks await."

Ahloru ducked down and walked in the door. With a glance about, she began to walk towards the man standing at a counter.  
"I need passage."  
"To?"  
"Kaladim."  
"Aye, one moment. We have one space left on the boat...Here you go, that'll be five platinum."  
She slid the platinum pieces across the table and took the piece of paper.  
"My thanks."  
"Boat leaves in a few minutes, you'd best move quickly."  
Ahloru nodded at the human and turned to leave.

Rravenn pulled her hood up to hide her ebon features and clung close to Rianum's side. He put one arm across her shoulders, holding her to him protectively. Mikanna walked along behind them, smiling happily as they walked along the dock to the large boat at the end of it. The waves lapped against the sides of the boat and a barbarian stood leaning over the rails on the other side of the deck. Her hand rested on an axe by her side and she stumbled as she tried to step away from the rail. Mikanna moved forward and helped support the barbarian.  
"My thanks..." She flipped the axe in her hands and slid it into its strapping to her back. "I'm Ahloru, berserker of Halas..."  
"It would seem that the barbarians are not a sea going race, eh?"  
"Aye, aye, wizard, we're more at home on the frost covered plain, but I am on a journey to the elven lands."  
"As are we. I am Rianum Magefyre."  
Rravenn spoke softly, attempting to cover her dark elven accent with something more sylvan sounding.  
"I am Rravenn."  
"I'm Mikanna LaVirtue, of Qeynos."  
"Well met...by the seventh hammer, I think I'll be spending this voyage under the deck..."  
Ahloru walked down the stairs into her room. Soon, the sailors began to lose the sails and set off. Rravenn looked longingly back at the dry land and snuggled against Rianum.  
"I don't like water..." she muttered.  
"Don't worry, Rravenn, nothing bad will happen."

Larah sat on the edge of the platform, her eyes on the sun as it set but her heart and mind elsewhere. Where was Klarias? He had promised to meet her and never arrived. What could possibly have happened to him? She stood slowly, casting a globe of star light into her hand and an aura of levitation around her. She ran into the darkness of the forest and began searching for him. She couldn't see anything that showed where he might've gone. Then suddenly, she saw it, his dagger. He never went anywhere without that. Why was it lying under the tree? She bent down and picked it up. With a sigh, she held it to her chest and looked around for tracks, any reason for it being here. Orc tracks, those scum had something to do with this...  
"I will find him..."  
A voice behind her caught her attention suddenly.  
"Larah, what are you doing out of the city this late? Even for someone as well trained as you, it is dangerous."  
"Yes, Master Ailur, but Klarias promised to meet me tonight and never arrived. I went looking for him and found his dagger beneath this tree. There are orc tracks."  
Ailur knelt down and looked the tracks over carefully.  
"He was most likely taken to the Citadel...We shall attempt to retrieve him at sunrise tomorrow. But take care, more and more couriers of the dark elven have been seen entering the Citadel. They are planning something."  
"Yes, Master Ailur."  
"Now, go get some rest. I am going to have a word with the Lord Protector of Felwithe. Perhaps, they will aid us."  
"Farewell, Master Ailur."  
Larah walked back to the city and rode up on the lift. Silently, she tucked the dagger into the folds of her belt pouch and walked into the Cloudwhisper home. Tomorrow at first light, she would find him, she thought, Tomorrow might be too late...


	4. In My Own Blood I Lie

(Niro takes SO long to remember that she had to read something...argh...so here's the latest installment. I took advice from the folks who were so kind as to give it. The descriptions! The descriptions! I had SO much fun with the descriptions (although...I don't think Klar had much fun with them...oh well...you'll see) please R/R, folks! I WUV reviews!)

Bloodfingers snarled as he walked into the small dungeon room. He held in his hand a leather whip and his black beady eyes focused on the wood elven form lying limp on the floor across from him. The young man looked up at him through his dark blond hair, his pale blue eyes silently begging to be spared and yet showing a level of defiance. He was clad in simple breeches and a vest, his dark green armor hung on the other side of the room.  
"Scum stand!" When the elf made no move to rise, Bloodfingers lunged forward and pulled him up by the back of his neck, "Bloodfingers say stand!"  
Klarias hung limply, wishing he was anywhere else but here and pondering still how an orc had managed to sneak up on him, the great thief and scout that he is. Bloodfingers dropped Klarias and he hit the floor with a sickening thud and thought to himself, a few more broken bones...He lay there for a moment, hoping the orc would leave, that maybe today he would be given some time to heal. If they wanted information out of him, they wouldn't kill him, would they? He glanced up and saw the window, it was open but too high for him to reach, hurt as he was. The sky was shimmering multi-colored as the sun rose overhead. Tears began to well up in his eyes. Sunrise already? He thought, he had been supposed to meet Larah at sunset the day before. He felt a surge of anger at the orcs, for stealing him away from his beloved for so long, at himself for being so captured and then a surge of sorrow, he missed her, the feeling of holding her in his arms, the feeling of being enveloped in her druidic power as she channeled nature itself. He struggled to at least sit up, but fell flat on his face, scraping his chin on the rough floor boards and leaving a smear of blood. The orc kicked him soundly in the abdomen and he rolled across the floor in a spasm of coughing which left him barely able to draw breath.  
"Lar...ah..." he mumbled, "I...love...ye."

The dark elven spy smiled, her disguise was flawless, she was after all an enchanter.  
"Lord Stormsiege, Master Ailur is here to see you, sir."  
"Send him in."  
"Right away, sir"  
The high elven paladin paced back and forth behind his desk. Hisblade, Retribution,hung at his waist swinging back and forth as he walked, his hand on the pommel. The druid stepped into the room and stood before him, his staff held tightly and leaned against it.  
"Lord Protector, the dark elven presence in the Faydark is growing and I am concerned. Already one of my students has lost a friend, apparently taken by the orcs to their Citadel."  
"I see, we shall have to address that matter swiftly...I shall send some of my troops in there to have a look around..."  
"My thanks and the thanks of all those Soldiers of Tunare."  
"No thanks are necessary."  
Master Ailur bowed and turned to leave.  
"The lad who is missing, Lord Protector, is a thief but the lover of one of my students. His name is Klarias. My student wants to come with you; her name is Larah of the family Cloudwhisper."  
"Tell her to meet at the gates of Felwithe, soon. As soon as my troops assemble, we shall move out."  
"Of course."  
The druid bowed again and then spoke a word of power and was instantly transported home.  
"K'ya, send out word to the barracks, we need the best troops assembled at the city gates post haste."  
"Of course, sir."  
The young dark elf in high elven guise bowed and left the room, a slight skip in her step as she thought of the rewards she would gain for giving this news to her lord and master.

Zycrasik stared at the window of magic she had cast, still no information had been gained from the elven captive. She ran her ebon fingers through her glowing white hair tensely and glanced at her master.  
"Any newssss, dark elf?"  
"None, Master Nirokusan...Apparently the elf has lost consciousness again...Honestly, orcs are horrible at extracting information..."  
"Perhapsssss, you should go do it yoursssself, then."  
"Perhaps."  
"Sssssso go!"  
"Of course, Master Nirokusan."  
She hefted her spell book into a pack and walked off to one of the nearby dark elven wizards who would translocate her to the Faydark.  
"The elf won't lasssst until sssssunsssset..." mused the iksar.  
One of the troll shamans seated near by suddenly looked up.  
"Master, da elf in da high elf city sent a news!"  
"And what isss it?"  
"Da Master Ailur elf went to da Lord Protector elf to say dey know bout da elf-boy we took and dat dey is gonna get him back wit troops of paladins."  
"Tell the wizardssss to transport sssoldiersss there to meet our little ssssylvan friendsss."  
"Yes, Master."  
One by one the dark elves, trolls, ogres, gnolls, goblins and what ever other manner of unsavory creatures stood in front of the line of dark elven wizards to be transported to the Faydark, sinister grins crossing their macabre features.


	5. Drawn Together By Blades of Foes

(I'm getting evil...oh dear...my poor poor characters...anyway. Been working on this chapter for a while. Had to change the rating from G to PG 13 due to the blood, guts,gore and death. I still don't own EQ, just play alot alot. Please R/R. I WUV REVIEWS!)

The Lord Protector of Felwithe paced back and forth as his troops assembled just outside the city gates. Many things were weighing heavily on his mind, why were the tier'dal invading the sanctity of the Greater and Lesser Faydarks so suddenly? More importantly, why had they taken a rogue? He was merely a thief, of no consequence to the hierarchy of Kelethin except for his relations with the druidess Larah. What did they want him for? He couldn't possibly have information. Suddenly, a soft voice limned with heartbreak tore him from his thoughts.  
"Lord Stormsiege? I am Larah of family Cloudwhisper. Master Ailur told you I was coming?"  
"Yes, Lady Larah. We will be setting out shortly; the sun is only beginning to rise."  
Larah turned towards the east and stared at the magnificent sunrise.  
"Tunare's marvels never cease to amaze..." she murmured and then turned back to the koada'dal. "Do you think he is still...al-alright?"  
Stormsiege looked the young druidess over. It was obvious enough to him she had started to ask if he thought Klarias was still alive but couldn't bring herself to voice her fears. Her slender hands were held against her chest, tears lining her deep green eyes. What could he say? The likelihood that the orcs, vicious creatures that they were, would keep the thief alive unless he had information was slim, but he couldn't bring himself to break her heart, to remove from her all hope.  
"There is still a chance, but let us hope Tunare is with us..."  
"Or rather, with him..."

"NO! Rianum, I am not leaving this spot! I refuse to! I don't mix well with water!"  
"I never said you had to get in the water, just come look at it."  
"No...no...I don't...I won't..."  
Rianum's hazel eyes danced merrily as he smiled at her.  
"You're not scared, are you?"  
"N-no! I'm...I'm not scared...What would make you say that?"  
"Come here then."  
Rravenn sighed and walked towards Rianum, her hood now down and her flowing white hair fluttered in the breeze behind her. Her dark blue cloak billowed around her in the breeze as she stood beside him. He put his arms around her and their mage cloaks swirled up together in a purple and blue haze. Mikanna sat leaning against the mast and smiled at them. Rianum smiled as he gazed into Rravenn's eyes as she looked out over the water whose color changed as the light of the rising sun played on its surface. She turned to face him and pulled him closer to her, holding him in a passionate embrace.  
"Do ye li'l folks need to be gettin' yerselves a room?"  
Rravenn whirled around, ready to lash out at whatever fool had dared to address her so and saw the barbarian, Ahloru. Her eyes narrowed to a glare and the dark mage walked down the stairs to the cabin level. Rianum sighed, shrugged at Ahloru and ran off after his love. Mikanna looked up suddenly and pulled a magicked pendant out from under her silken clerical robes. It was glowing a soft shade of blue as she spoke into it.  
"Morning Lord Stormy." It flashed a rainbow of other colors before settling back onto the sky blue it had started out. "Klarias, eh? I know him...Larah's—? Just as I thought...The Orcs, you say? Poor lad...How's Larah taking it? I see...I see...We should be docking soon...Of course I'll come! It's my clerical duty or something! I'll see you when I see you, Lord Stormy." Mikanna tucked the pendant back under her robes and sighed. "Poor Klarias...poor Larah..."  
She stood slowly and walked over to the edge of the deck. Ahloru stood beside her.  
"Is that Kaladim?"  
"Yes, land of the dwarves."  
"Aye," Ahloru's features brightened momentarily, "The great li'l warriors who brew the finest mead..."  
The boat pulled up to the dock and Mikanna went to get her mage friends. Ahloru walked down the path to the great dwarven city of Kaladim to refresh her packs.

"Be silent, don't allow yourselves to be seen as we enter."  
The paladins and warriors bowed before their Lord and then set off for the orc Citadel. Larah walked along with the clerics and mages who would accompany them. The young druidess was nearly to the entrance when she turned and saw dark elven soldiers attacking her fellows. She knew they had been ambushed and that someone knew they were coming. She growled under her breathe and quickly muttered a shape-changing spell. The grey wolf ran through the entrance as the orc guards joined the melee. _Klarias,_ she thought, _I know you're here somewhere_. A scream broke what was, other than the nearly inaudible footfalls of the wolf, silence thick enough that it could be cut with a knife. It was coming from the castle. Larah ran there as quickly as her wolf-form could take her.

Stormsiege cursed under his breath as yet another young paladin was felled by the cursed blade of a dark elf. His blade cut through foe after foe, trying to force a passage through to the entrance of the Citadel. He slashed out, his blade slicing through the orc standing before him and then called out to his fellows.  
"Charge through!"  
They rallied to his cry as the clerics siphoned the last of their mana into a spell of healing on their entire forces, bringing each and every paladin and warrior back to fighting form. The elven charge caught the dark elves by surprise, having thought they had the upper hand and they were forced into a pell-mell retreat into the Citadel.

Larah dropped her shape-change spell and stood before the castle. He was in there somewhere, he had to be. In one of the top rooms, she could see two dark elves talking. That looked like the right place. The sounds of battle suddenly filled her ears as the paladins and their fellows came charging in to the citadel. Larah quickly brought up a spell of camouflage over herself as the orcs guarding the palace ran down to meet the intruders. As she crept into the castle, she didn't notice the silent shadow following her along. She was careful to not use her spells or make too much noise or movement so as to retain the enchantment. She walked into the tower room through the partially open door. His eyes caught her immediately. Klarias lay limply on the floor, only barely bound. Her blonde hair matted with his own blood and his breeches and vest torn and stained, cleaved to him as though part of his skin. Tears came to her eyes as she dropped to her knees by his side and allowed her spell to falter.  
"Kl-Klarias?"  
He looked up at her, his breath labored, and smiled.  
"La...rah..."  
She began to channel her mana into a spell of healing but just as she began to speak the words, a dark elven blade slid through her ribs, barely missing her heart. She changed her words to a call for a lightning and felled the dark elf behind her.

Stormsiege breathed heavily as he found himself facing the ambassador from Neriak, Dvinn of the Indigo Brotherhood. Their blades crashed against each other and they darted and weaved in and out in a deadly dance of skill. The lord protector slashed out wide with Retribution and caught Dvinn's side, leaving a long gash through his flesh and armor. Dvinn thrust forward with his dirk and tore through the high elf's armor, ripping the tendons in his shoulder. Stormsiege grimaced in pain, forcing himself to keep his blade up and finish the battle through. He thrust with his good arm and ran Dvinn through. Dvinn fell forward on the blade, using the last of his strength to force his dirk through the elf's armor and into his chest. He coughed, blood spraying out of his mouth, as he fell pushed the dark elf off of him and summoned his limited healing powers. The wounds to his shoulder healed over but the tendons were still stretched and raw, leaving his arm essentially useless until he could find a proper cleric. Hefting his blade in his off hand, he began to walk towards the castle, hoping to find Larah. He had seen her spell castings in that direction during the battle.

(Thought I'd pop a poll down here: Should Lady Larah Cloudwhisper die?  
1. YES!  
2. Yes, slowly and painfully by poisons  
3. almost, but Storm saves her  
4. NO! )


	6. Life and Undeath

(I've been taking a little longer than usual to write...blame it on school...R/R and maybe I'll post more frequently : P )

Zycrasik thrust her trusty dagger forward, sliding it through the druidess' ribs. Blood flowed down the necromancer's arm and she sighed in ecstasy in the pain and death she was causing. The chant changed suddenly and Zycrasik felt thousands of volts of electricity course through her body. She cursed the name of Tunare loudly in the tier'dal tongue, fell to her knees and then collapsed to the ground with an audible thud.

Ky'a mused silently as she watched the foolish elves around her trying in vain to combat her people. _If I wasn't a spy, I'd drop this disguise in moments to join my fellows in this battle...the Faydark will be ours._ Her eyes fell on a single paladin trying to fight through the throng to the citadel. It was that fool, Stormsiege. She prepared a spell to kill him on the spot but felt a sword against her throat suddenly.  
"I know you are not all that you seem, tier'dal clothed as koada'dal."  
The sword began to rip through the flesh of her neck. She glanced up behind her, gasping for breathe and clutching her severed trachea and saw a half elven woman standing behind her holding the blade.  
"Sori—"  
"Aye, my once true friend, I had hoped and pray this is the way it would not end. But alas and many woes, in the end we are truly foes."  
Ky'a fell to the ground, her hand still grasping her throat although no longer did she labor to draw breath, as the elf backed away.

Poised at the top of the tower of Crushbone, Nirokusan stood with his orange-yellow eyes closed, his robes fluttering around him. The dark aura around his form was immense, but some mana was still being held back for other spells. His eyes focused on different parts of the battle. Dvinn had just fallen, Ky'a's throat had been slit and Zycrasik lay in a smoldering heap beside two fallen elves. His clawed hand fingered the tattered edges of his spell book as he searched for the greatest spell in his arsenal.  
"Great Cazzzic Thule, bring forth my followerssss from their gravessss lying on thissss battle field in your essstemed honor, bring them forth as undead warriorsss of greatnessss!"  
He flung to the ground a symbol of Cazic Thule and around him the dead of both sides rose up, weapons in hand, and began moving towards what remained of the small sylvan forces. Their skin hung around their bones like oversized clothing and their gashes flowed with blood anew. They eyed those who had once been their fellows in arms with a desire for blood. Their eyes glittered with anger and mockery that was channeled from Nirokusan, the spell caster, to Cazic-Thule, to them. Brother fought brother in a battle to determine the greatness of Cazic Thule and Tunare.

Ky'a stood slowly and awkwardly, the power and might of Cazic Thule imbuing her with a macabre mockery of life. With the dagger in her hand she walked stiff leggedly towards Soriana Morgan. Soriana spun about quickly, hearing the strange scraping sounds as the zombie of her once friend limped towards her. The sight awoke in her a deep fear and she ran as quickly as her bardic magic would take her, seeking her father. The zombie laughed, the strained, grating, bone-chilling sound coming out of its open throat and severed voice box. Her prey gone, she turned on the nearest elf and thrust her blade into his eye socket, spraying vitreous humor everywhere. The blade bit through his spinal column and he fell to the ground on his own blade, twitching as his nervous system failed and his blood poured out through his open chest. The fallen soldier stopped shaking and convulsing and stood slowly, his wounds still flowing with the blood and liquids that coated his armor in a layer of filth.

The undead troops marched forward, their ranks bolstered by specters, ghouls and skeletons raised by the various necromancers and liches about the battle field. Stormsiege turned from his fight for a moment and a blade bit into his shoulder ferociously.  
"By the power of Tunare, be gone!"  
The corpse of one of his students, a young high elf woman, screamed as the light of Tunare's blessing coursed through her body. The young paladins closed their ranks tightly, focusing what little mana they had remaining into spells of undead bane. A chant rose up from within the forest, a melodic chant which soothed their minds and slowly restored their mana.  
"Papa!"  
"Soriana, I told you to stay in the city!"  
"Papa, a child I am, no longer, and fight by your side I shall. In defense of our homeland, we shant ever fall."  
Stormsiege sighed as his daughter drew her small blade and spread her stance for better balance.

Nirokusan slowly allowed his spell to drop and stood on the rough hewn wooden floors of the orc castle. He stepped forward and heard a crunch as the bones of the fallen shatter under his feet. The sound of labored breathing and a strained heart beat reached his ears and he grinned, his prey was nearby. He could smell the blood of the elves nearby.  
"Come out, come out, little elvessss, come and play with me. I only wish to ssssend you to your eternity!" He blasted a poison bolt through the door before he entered the tower room and grinned as he saw the two elves lying intertwined in each other's arms. "Yessss, yesss, die in your lover'sss armssss."  
The young druidess writhed spasmodically as the poison flowed through her veins, slowly destroying her nervous system and suffocating her. The coughs wracked her body and blood came out her mouth and nose. She looked up, the longing for life glowing fiercely in her eyes as she glared at Nirokusan but the fires of life were fading quickly within her.


	7. Death and Resurrection

(TA DA! It took me waaay to long to write this...but it was worth it! One more chapter to go, then I'm writing the sequel...maybe 2 sequels...anyway...a new character is introduced which I know is way random but he'll be in the next two stories. Please R/R and don't yell at me for taking so long to write)

A single paladin came stumbling into Crushbone. His shoulder bled profusely, staining his mail. His sword was held in his off hand since he could hardly move his right arm. He heard, rather than saw, the elves around him, blood stinging his eyes.  
"Papa?" called a half-elf from behind him, "Papa, you need to see a cleric."  
"I'm fine, Sori, I'm fine."  
She bit her lip and gave up; there was no arguing with her Papa. Stormsiege continued walking, leaving his daughter hoping the cleric would be here soon.

Mikanna ran along the paths through the forest, doing her best to keep from being seen by the tier'dal who were wandering about. Rravenn had simply clung to the back of their lines, faking loyalty. Rianum walked along beside her under his own spell of invisibility.  
"Rravenn?"  
"Yes?"  
"Are you sure you want to do this?"  
"Rianum! Don't question me now! We've made it this far…I know what I have to do if I'll ever be allowed to study again…and I'm never going back."  
Rianum smiled and brushed his fingers across her cheek.  
"Alright, but be careful, my little black bird."  
"You do the same, Rianum. If you get yourself killed, I will find a way to resurrect you, just to kill you."  
Rianum laughed and stepped away from the lines with a last brush of his hand against hers.  
"I'll be in the elven city, come for me when you're done."

Larah felt around her mind. _Please_, she thought, _please let me have mana, just a little_. Finally, she felt it, the tiniest twinge of mana deep in her mind. She forced it forth, her mind reeling, her world spinning.  
"Tunare….please…"  
She forced the mana in its raw form into Klarias and his wounds began to heal over. He opened his eyes slowly and glanced around. His eyes caught a shadow looming over his love. The blurred form slowly came into focus, an iksar. The iksar kicked Larah's limp form and laughed. Tears burned in Klarias' eyes, she couldn't be dead! She couldn't be! _That damned scalie! _Klarias fumed, _I ain't about to let 'im get away with this, Larah! I ain't!_ The necromancer turned on his heels and sauntered out of the room with the air of an undefeatable conqueror. Klarias waited until he couldn't hear anymore footsteps and then lifted the young druidess into his arms. He sat her up in a corner and began pulling his armor on.  
"I swear it, Larah, I'll get that scalie 'n make 'im pay for what 'e's done to ya!"

Stormsiege leaned on his daughter, struggling to focus enough to heal himself slightly.  
"Papa, I think you should see a cleric. The enemy general lives still, and since I know you will engage him in combat, it wouldn't do for you to collapse before you find him."  
"Soriana, I know my own-" he tried to stand under his own strength and cringed in pain, blood coming out of the gaps in his armor.  
"Papa! Papa, you _need_ a cleric!"  
"I'm fine!" The young bard sighed and grabbed her father's arm and led him towards the citadel. "Sori, I need you to go inside, invisibly mind you, and find Larah and Klarias. I think I have enough mana left to help them but I'm not sure. I'll stay here and wait for you."  
"Yes, Papa." She pulled a flute out of her belt, piped a quick tune and faded from sight.

"Foolssss, foolsss, all of them!" Nirokusan laughed evilly, watching over his minions as they lit fire to the wood elven homes high in the treetops. "Let the foolssss burn!"  
His laugh floated over the treetops to where Master Ailur stood leaning on his staff shaking his head.  
"All the young elves lost to one mad iksar…Tunare preserve us…Quickly now! Each druid take as many as you can!"  
"Master Druid!" A human voice fell on Ailur's ears. "Is there anyway I can help?"  
Ailur turned quickly and regarded the young human with interest, he wore a dark purple robe that swirled around him as he walked and in his hands he grasped a staff tipped with a purple gem. In Ailur's magic sight he could see the mana swirling within him.  
"You are a wizard, are you not, human?"  
"Yessir, I am."  
"Can you translocate my people?"  
"Where?"  
"Anywhere safe."  
"Of course, Master Druid, is the Nexus good?"  
"Marvelous, take the young ones first."  
Master Ailur motioned to a frightened group of sylvan children huddled in a mass of tears, shrieks and cries for their mothers. Rianum nodded and drew a circle around them with his staff.  
"Just stay in the circle and you'll all be alright. I'll start the spell in a moment, little ones." He sat cross-legged across from them and closed his eyes, balancing his staff across his knees counting to himself, "…five…six…seven…release…NEXUS!"  
In a blaze of color, light and sound the children disappeared across the void from the inferno. Rianum coughed as smoke entered his lungs and leaned on his staff to stand again.

Mikanna looked up suddenly, what was the light ahead? Could it be dawn? No, the moon was still high in the night sky. It was a fire, a towering inferno even, but what was burning? The smoke billowed throughout the entire forest and flames leapt to other trees. It was Kelethin! Kelethin was in flames.  
"No!" the high elf ran faster, tripping over roots and fallen logs in her furious sprint for the city. "No! No! Larah! Klarias! Ailur! No!"  
The smoke blinded her as she ran past the city and up into the hills behind it to the orc city.  
"Mikanna! Mikanna!" It was the dark elf from earlier, Rravenn. "Mikanna, they need you in the orc citadel, something horrible happened, you have to go quickly."  
Tears shone in the young mage's eyes and the blaze reflected off their purple.  
"Is Rianum in the city?"  
Rravenne bit her lip and then nodded.  
"I'm going after him, you go help the high elves, they need you."

Ahloru hefted her axe and spun it in her right hand. Why were there so many tier'dal about? This was sylvan land, wasn't it?  
"What's a lass gotta do to get you li'l elf folk to be leavin' her alone?"  
The rogue smiled mischievously and darted in at Ahloru suddenly. The berserker slashed through with her battle axe and chopped the little elf in half. His corpse spewed blood and splattered Ahloru across the face with a crimson spray as it fell but the barbarian felt nothing. Her emotions were sealed off as her fighter's fury kicked in. A blur of blade, armor and muscle roared through the Greater Faydark, cutting down all those that stood in her way. A scream broke the rage suddenly, a female scream that Ahloru had heard before, the elf Mikanna. She was just ahead, surrounded on all sides by dark elves. In her small hands she held a mace but the look in her eyes said she didn't know how to use it.  
"Hold on, li'l friend! I'm a-comin'!"  
Mikanna looked up, her eyes brightening suddenly.  
"Thank Tunare!"  
Ahloru grinned right before battle fury gripped her anew.  
"Find your friends, li'l elf, I'll handle this lot o' trouble makers!"  
"Klarias!" Soriana dropped her spell suddenly, "Klarias, you're alright! Where's Larah?"  
Klarias looked at the young half elf, pain and sadness shining in his eyes. He motioned towards the corner she sat in, not speaking for fear of his voice betraying his emotions. He turned towards the door and then spoke softly.  
"Take 'er to them 'ealers for meh, I 'ave to find 'im what done this."  
"Of course," Sori gently lifted Larah into her arms and started towards the door, "Be careful, Klarias, if anything happens to you, Larah'll kill us all."  
Klarias smiled weakly and then leapt from the window, landing below with both daggers drawn. Soriana ran for the door as fast as she could safely, shouting for her father.  
"Papa! Papa! Larah needs help! I think its poison!"  
Stormsiege stood carefully, leaning on his sword.  
"Bring her here, Sori, let me have a….Heretic poisons…TUNARE! I invoke your power!" he faltered slightly as he went to step, but the spell was cast.  
Larah coughed and choked as she started to breathe again.  
"Kl-Klarias! Klarias, where are you?"  
"It's alright, Lady Larah," said Soriana, helping the druidess to her feet, "Your little rogue is around here somewhere trying to avenge your wounds."  
Larah smiled and closed her eyes.  
"I'll help the clerics, soon as I have mana again." She grimaced as the realization she had expended all her mana sunk in.  
The paladin stood slowly, hefted his mighty blade and began walking towards something. Soriana looked, drawing her own twin blades and saw the silhouette of the iksar before them. His scaled tail flicked back and forth and his eyes glinted with the same glee as a cat playing with the mouse before he killed it.  
"Sssso, thissss issss the mighty Sssstormssssiege of Felwithe. You look like you've sssseen better daysss, my ssssylvan adversssary."  
"Yield, necromancer, before I'm forced to enter in combat with you."  
"Yield! To you! I think not, elf! Cazzzic Thule! Allow me to sssmite thissss fool who deniesss the might of your black deedsss!"  
The great Lord Protector charged forward, his wounds and pain forgotten in his fury. His blade bite into the iksar but missed his lethal mark. He pushed forward with all his weight struggling to remain upright as the wounds reminded him they were still there and the blade slide from his grasp. He fell to the ground, his face in the dirt. The necromancer pulled the paladin's blade out of his side and flipped it around in his hand gleefully.  
"Thissss issss the end, elf."  
With a single thrust, the blade bit through Stormsiege's armor and down through his flesh with the ease of cutting water. Only the rim-guard stopped the blade's entrance into the elf, catching on the back plate of the paladin's armor. He strained to force breath in and Nirokusan stepped down firmly on his back, snapping his spine and forcing the life giving air back out. The air was mixed with elven blood as it splattered to the ground.  
"Papa! No!"  
Soriana flipped her two swords up and charged at the iksar that had slain the only family she had ever known.

"M'Lord Sir Paladin, I beseech you, take my daughter. The tier'dal whom you battled here slew my husband and the selfsame poison that took his life now flows in my veins."  
In the elven woman's arms she held an infant. As she reached out to hand the girl to Stormsiege, she stumbled. The Lord Protector caught the young child just in time to hear the mother's dying words.  
"Her name is Soriana….may Tunare guide both of you…."  
The infant half-elf smiled up at Stormsiege, not knowing to cry, not knowing that she had lost one family only to gain another.

"Papa!"  
Mikanna knew that voice as well as she knew her own, it was Storm's daughter. Had something happened to the Lord Protector? Mikanna burst into the battle suddenly and the scene shook her to her core. Stormsiege lay lifeless in a pool of his own blood, Soriana fought for her life with the iksar that had no doubt slain her father, Larah of Cloudwhisper knelt by the wall, trying to gather mana but failing. Fingering the silk pouch tied to her belt, the young cleric bit her lip. She would have to do something drastic. As she pulled forth the radiant dagger and held it level with her heart, she spoke softly.  
"Tunare, I offer myself to you on the blade, Tunare's Gift, so that the Faydark may have its Protector again, the need for him out weighs the need for me. By your power, let him live again."  
Tears fell from her cheeks as she thrust the ornate dagger through her chest and straight into her heart. Blood seeped slowly out of the wound and stained her shirt as she fell forward, first to her knees and then face first in the dirt, driving the blade in further. Her tears mingled with her blood, sealing the magic. Stormsiege's broken and beaten body glowed for a moment, the sword in his back floated up and out until it was at eye level for a high elf and then he stood, his eyes full of fire.

Soriana danced on her tip-toes, trying to dodge each blow as it came. A spell hit her left arm and the black sword she held fell to the ground. She bit the inside of her mouth to keep her fury inside her. Blood poured down her arm in rivulets. She stumbled as another spell caught her leg and fell to her back with a thud. She stared up into the blazing eyes of the iksar and saw no remorse, no mercy, no compassion, only hatred. Tears poured down her cheeks as she prepared herself to meet Tunare and see her father again when someone suddenly got between her and the iksar. The elf's armor shined radiantly seemingly giving off a light of its own and his sword was glowing the same.  
"P-Papa?"  
"Soriana, help the others. I'll handle this necromancer."  
Soriana scrambled to her feet as quickly as she could and ran over to the others. Her eyes widened in fear and wonder as the battle around them stopped and everyone turned to watch Nirokusan and Stormsiege battle to the death.  
"Ssso, paladin, death meansss asss much to you asss it doesss to me. Thisss ssshould prove entertaining."  
"I have no words for you, necromancer, my sword has words enough for you!"  
Stormsiege thrust forward in a feint and then slashed at the iksar's tail as he dodged the first move. The end of his tail fell to the ground, leaving the rest of the tail spurting forth blood in a torrent. Nirokusan snarled in pain and whipped around, a poison bolt leading. The Lord Protector dodged it with ease and slash again, slicing through the heretic's robes and slashing through the scales of his chest. Again, he snarled ferociously and then stopped suddenly, both claws behind him.  
"I concede the victory to you, paladin, thisss time. But next time, I sssshall be the victor."  
A gate appeared behind him and he stepped in. Stormsiege slash at it wildly as it closed. He threw his blade to the ground and tore at the air where the gate had been, his hatred for the iksar coursing through his veins until he heard a soft voice behind him.  
"He's gone, Papa, he's not coming back anytime soon. We have to rebuild now anyway."  
"Soriana…"  
Larah focused a scrap of mana into a healing spell and Soriana's wounds healed slightly and then a gruff voice came from behind them.  
"Ye li'l elves should get to yer city. And…by the Seventh Hammer….is that…my li'l elf friend? Mikanna? What happened to her?"  
Stormsiege bent down beside the young cleric.  
"She cast the final spell…the resurrection spell. She…sacrificed herself."  
Tears were coming to his eyes as he lifted her limp body into his arms and they walked off towards Kelethin, leaving behind the place that had been the scene of so much carnage, only to enter another.

"Rianum! Rianum, where are you?"  
Rravenn allowed her eyes to shift into the heat viewing spectrum hoping she'd be able to locate her human love easier that way but instead felt searing pain as the intense heat of the fire around her threatened to burn out her eyes. She heard someone coughing nearby and bent down under the smoke. Crouching near the center of the platform was Rianum. He looked up at her and smiled weakly.  
"I'm sorry, Rravenn. I know I promised to be careful…." A spasm of coughing racked his body and he started to fall only to be caught in her embrace. "I had to help…I ran out…of mana…"  
"Come on, we have to get out of here."  
"But…the Master Druid…he didn't leave yet…"  
"He's probably gated by now, Rianum."  
"He….kept teleporting in and out taking elves with him…I think he's looking for someone…"  
Rravenn gritted her teeth and half wished she could've just been like the rest of her people and been emotionless. She grabbed him under the arms and helped him to his feet.  
"I'll look for him, you go, the lift is that way. Be careful, stay low and…" she put a hand to his chest and cast a quick spell, "now you should be able to breathe through the smoke, my dear human."  
She ran her fingers through his short, black hair, kissed his cheek and then ran off into the blaze.

Ailur covered his mouth and nose with his hand, trying to keep the smoke out of his lungs just long enough to make sure that everyone was out of the city. He saw House Cloudwhisper just ahead of him. The doors were open and the main part of the house hadn't caught yet, only the back rooms. He could hear a sound coming from within and was startled, Larah was down at the battle fields, who could be inside? Larah was the only Cloudwhisper left…unless. He ran in and found an infant elf in his cradle, his watcher a she-wolf.  
"Elfling, you'd best come with me," he lifted the child into his arms and smiled despite the situation, how had Larah managed to have a child without him knowing? It had to be hers, the eyes were the very same and everything else about him screamed of Klarias. "And you too, she-wolf."  
The wolf stared at him for a moment and then ran ahead into the smoke. Around the corner came a dark figure clothed in mage's robes. Her eyes glowed in the fire light as she looked around, intent on finding something.  
"Master Druid?"  
"Stand off, black elf, I've no time to face you."  
"You don't understand-"  
"There is nothing to understand!"  
Rravenn cursed under her breathe and then summoned a spell of levitation under the druid.  
"It's the fastest way out of the city, or so I've been told. And for future reference, Master Druid, don't be so quick to judge based on skin. The wizard you met, Rianum, is my dearest friend and sent me to aid you."  
Ailur shook his head in disbelief.  
"And here I thought I'd heard all there was to hear of your kind." He bit his lip and felt around for his mana, only a twinge but it was enough, "Take this elfling, his mother is, I believe, Larah of Cloudwhisper. If you can find her, give him to her. I have to continue my search." He thrust the child into her arms and she stood there for a moment, stunned.  
"Your view of me changed that quickly?"  
"Not entirely, this one," he motioned towards the she-wolf "didn't attack you, that was proof enough for me. Your words told me nothing. Now go!"  
"Be safe, Master Druid."  
Before the words had even escaped her lips, Ailur had charged into the flames of his dying city. The mage looked down at the infant in her arms and screamed out a stream of curses.

"No….No…..It can't be….." Larah ran towards the burning lift, trying to vain to call enough rain to put out the flames, knowing she had no mana left, "I thought he would be safe! No!"  
She fell to her knees and began to sob violently. Klarias dropped to his knees beside her, holding her tightly.  
"S'a'right, Larah, I'm sure everyfolk got out a'right."  
"Klarias, what about…Willias?" Tears shone in her eyes as she spoke, "No one save us knew he was there!"  
"I'm sure someone…..someone musta found him, Larah, someone musta checked…"  
Tears began to fall from his eyes as well and he pulled her closer. Suddenly, a form came down the burning lift, her arms outspread supporting a sphere of air that held the flames at bay, beside her stood a human man holding something in his arms. Larah stared in wonder as they passed unharmed through the flames led on by a she-wolf.  
"It can't…it can't…..my…my baby…."  
She carefully got to her feet, using Klarias for support. The figure walked closer, dropping her sphere as soon as they had cleared the flames, her features now beginning to show. Her hair was pure white and her skin dark as the night, she was a dark elf. The human at her side looked at Larah with a flicker of hope in his eyes and then glanced at the bundle in his arms.  
"By chance, are you Larah of Cloudwhisper?"  
"Y-yes…"  
The word barely passed her lips.

Rianum smiled and handed the wriggling infant to his mother. She was crying as she held the little elf-child against her chest. He help but think how nice it was to see at least some happiness a midst all this desolation. He brushed Rravenn's hand with his own and then clenched it tightly.  
"Now what?" his voice was barely a whisper but he repeated his query louder, "Now what?"  
"We should," the Lord Protector's voice cracked as he tried to speak, his tears belying his outwardly calm demeanor, "We should give her…a proper funeral."  
Soriana looked up at her father and saw something in him she'd never seen before, he sought revenge.  
"Papa?"  
"To Felwithe, then…Come along, Soriana."  
Soriana stood rooted on the spot for a moment, staring at the setting moon and turned to see its brother, the rising sun, as its rays illuminated the smoldering ruins of the once proud elven city. With a sigh, she ran to catch up with the great paladin.  
"I'm coming, Papa."


	8. The End or is it?

((And the adventure is finally over...or is it? BWAHAHA! This ends one tale of Norrath, but there are oh so many more just waiting for a bard to tell them. R/R, I hope you enjoyed this tale.))

Stormsiege stared out over the great city of Felwithe and sighed. It had been nearly a week since the war ended. He turned back from the window and looked around his room at all the maps hanging on the walls. Those damned dark elves had all packed up and left the second the iksar had gated. Most likely they crawled back into the hole they came out of, but would they return? He let out a guttural snarl and flung his belt knife at the map of Antonica. It stuck fast in the wall just above the label that read Neriak. The great lord protector fell to his knees and let the tears flow forth. He had to find them. He had to find that iksar. Mikanna deserved revenge. There was a soft knock on the door and he stood, wiping his cheeks.  
"C-come in."  
The door opened with a groan and his daughter stood there, her swords still on her belt and still in her armor.  
"Papa…"  
He walked towards her, taking everything in slowly. Her eyes were red and her cheeks streaked with tears. How many of the fallen elves had been her friends, he wondered. How many of her classmates won't be there when she returns to school?  
"Sori, we've all been through a lot…and…"  
She looked up at him, her mental pain showing through her attempts to conceal her anguish.  
"We…we…have to be strong, right Papa? Go on fighting for those who can no longer?"  
A weak smile crossed his face and he held her tightly.  
"Exactly, Sori, exactly."

Master Ailur stood above the tree tops, his levitation spell allowing him to survey the immeasurable damage to his once great city. With a deep sigh that spoke volumes of his sorrow, he turned and walked back down to his ragged, frightened people.  
"We can, nay will, rebuild our city. It may take years, it may take millennia, but we will do it. Until then, our brethren in Surefall Glade have kindly offered let us live amongst them."  
Cheers of happiness met the end of his brief speech. He looked out over those who remained of his people and smiled. The greatest treasure of their people was strewn amongst them, their children, nearly all of whom had survived the inferno thanks to that human wizard. Larah stood at his side with Klarias. In her arms she held her elfling.  
"Master Ailur?"  
"Larah," he coughed as he spoke to her, "that title is no longer mine, you are now the leader of these people, do not fail them."  
"B-but, what are you saying, Master Ailur?"  
"I am staying here, child, even had I the will to leave the city in which I was born, I would not survive the journey to Surefall Glade. May Tunare be with you and your family and may she guide you well in leading our people."  
He turned and shifted into his wolf form effortlessly, howling as he charged into the darkness. Tears fell from the young druidess' eyes as she realized what her great teacher had just entrusted her with. She turned to the people, her people, and with a will she didn't recognize as her own called to them.  
"Come, we must leave soon if we are to arrive in Surefall Glade in a timely manner."

Niola Impholder regarded Rravenn carefully and then finally smiled.  
"Of course you may study among us, Rravenn, any who wish to may find what they seek within our halls. As may your human friend, granted that he applies with my good friend Tarker Blazetoss."  
Rianum and Rravenn smiled at each other, bowed before the Mage Mistress and then turned to leave the hall.  
"I'm so glad I can continue my studies…"  
Rianum merely smiled and hugged his dark skinned lover as they stepped out into the sunlit streets of Felwithe.  
"We should find somewhere to stay, my dear blackbird."  
She nodded, only half listening as she watched the elven children at play.  
"I think…that that's the difference, Rianum."  
"What difference?"  
"Between my people and yours and theirs, Dark elves never play, not even as children. Humans and surface elves do, that's the difference."  
Rianum nodded as a ball rolled to his feet. He picked it up and handed it back to the smiling child.  
"What would you say to having a child, my love?"  
Rravenn stared at him in silence for a moment and then smiled.  
"I'd say we'd best find somewhere to stay so we can get to it."  
She kissed him on the cheek and ran off laughing. He chased after her, echoing her laughter with his own as they ran through the narrow streets of Felwithe.

Nirokusan laughed from the high towers in Cabilis, soon his strength would be restored and he would begin planning his revenge on that high elven fool, that Lord Stormsiege. He looked out the window and saw his skeletal army growing and swelling in his great power. Soon, the time would be ripe for his attack. He had all the time in the cosmos to wait and build his necromantic strength. As he turned back to his workbench, he caught his reflection in the mirror and hissed at the sight of his stubby tail. It had begun to grow back but still was far from the glorious tail he had once had.  
"I will come for you, Ssstormsssiege Morgan of Felwithe! You and that foolisssh half-elf!"


End file.
